Chrysis extraordinaria Rosa, Wei & Xu

Rosa, Paolo, Wei, Na-Sen & Xu, Zai-Fu, 2016, The inaequalis species-group (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae, Chrysis) in China, with description of a new species, Zootaxa 4193 (2), pp. 373-380 : 377

Chrysis extraordinaria Rosa, Wei & Xu , sp. nov.

( Fig. 2 A–2F)

Material examined. Holotype, ♀, CHINA: Yunnan, Chenggong, Luoyang Town , 8–19.VIII.2006, leg. Qiang Li ( SCAU).

Diagnosis. Chrysis extraordinaria sp. nov. is recognisable by the following characteristics: mesopleuron tridentate ( Fig. 2 D); T3 metallic blue, apex with six teeth ( Figs 2 E, 2F); T1 and T2 golden to metallic red ( Fig. 2 A, 2E).

Description. Holotype: Female. Body length 7.2 mm.

Head. Scapal basin striated and laterally setose ( Fig. 2 B). TFC almost straight medially, with two ends laterally bending downwards before compound eyes. Relative length of P:F1:F2:F3 = 1.0:2.3:1.3:1.0; OOL = 2.0 MOD; POL = 1.8 MOD; MS = 1.2 MOD; subantennal space 1.0 MOD. Genal carina sharply developed from temple to mandible.

Mesosoma . Pronotum short, 0.75 × as long as mesoscutellum; pronotal groove wide and extended almost to posterior margin; pronotum with lateral margins depressed medially. Pronotum and mesoscutum with coarse punctuation; notauli complete, becoming wider and deeper posteriorly, with foveae partially fused; mesoscutellum with similar punctuation to mesoscutum; metanotum with larger punctures ( Fig. 2 C). Lower mesopleuron with three pointed teeth on episternal and scrobal sulcus ventrally; episternal sulcus with large scrobiculate punctures; scrobal sulcus with large foveate punctures ( Fig. 2 D).

Metasoma. Metasoma with coarse and even punctuation, with minute punctures among the main punctures; T3 transversely bulging before pit row; pit row well developed with deep and large pits; T2 and T3 with sharp median carina; apex of T3 with six teeth, four sharp teeth medially and two short but pointed teeth laterally; lateral teeth aligned to median teeth, not placed on basal 1/4 or 1/3 of lateral edge, as abrupt swelling in C. inaequalis ( Fig. 1 A); lateral margins of T3 straight, without abrupt swelling; S2 black spots suboval, oblique directed and fused to lateral margin, medially separated by 1 MOD.

Colouration. Body metallic cobalt blue, with darkened blue areas medially on mesoscutum; T1 and T2 golden to metallic red, medially violet; T3 metallic blue. Scape, P, F1 and F2 metallic blue, rest of flagellum black. Tegula metallic blue. Sternites metallic blue.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Oriental part of China (Yunnan).

Remarks. Chrysis extraordinaria sp. nov. is considered an outstanding species because bears unique features so that it cannot be included in any species-groups following the keys proposed by Kimsey & Bohart (1991) and Linsenmaier (1959). In particular, the combination of following characters is unusual: mesopleuron tridentate; T3 without basal abrupt swelling on lateral margins, and bearing six sharp teeth on apex; T3 metallic blue, contrasting with T1 and T2 metallic red, an unusual colour pattern for inaequalis species-group, which is typical for Palaearctic C. splendidula and C. viridula species-groups. Thus we suggest to modify couplets 6 and 7 of the key in Kimsey & Bohart (1991) as follows:

6. Pit row practically absent; male F1 and F2 short and, taken together, shorter than F3.................... somaliae group - Pit row distinct; male F1 sometimes reduced, but not F2....................................................... 7 7a. F 1 in both sexes about as broad as long or shorter................................................. oculata group - F 1 in both sexes longer than broad....................................................................... 7b 7b. Scapal basin transversely striate; female F1 l/w = 3/4; mesopleuron tridentate; mesoscutellum simple, without any plastic

modification or depression; T2 and T3 with sharp median longitudinal ridge.................... inaequalis group (part.) - Scapal basin punctate; female F1 l/w = 2; mesopleuron without teeth, if dentate then mesoscutellum with mucron, convexity or

median depression; T2 and T3 without median longitudinal ridge, at most impunctate................ smaragdula group

Etymology. The specific epithet extraordinaria is derived from the Latin adjective extraordinarius (extraordinary) referring to the unique morphological characteristics and colour of this species.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Chrysis inaequalis Dahlbom, 1845, ♀ from Hebei. A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Head, frontal view; C. Mesosoma, dorsal view; D. Mesopleuron, lateral view; E. Metasoma, dorsal view; F. T 3, posterior view. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURE 2. Chrysis extraordinaria Rosa, Wei & Xu, sp. nov., holotype, ♀. A. Habitus, lateral view; B. Head, frontal view; C. Mesosoma, dorsal view; D. Mesopleuron, lateral view; E. Metasoma, dorsal view; F. T 3, posterior view. Scale bar 1 mm.